Tag Archives: ice cream reviews

Gentle Readers, summer is not officially here, but the mosquitoes certainly are. In an effort to balance the scales of karma, I have declared it open season on ice cream yet again. Last year, here in The Practical Cook test kitchen, we sampled a number of the controversially named Ben and Jerry’s ice creams.

Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Pyramid: I have more selection than the corner store.

This year, we’re expanding our reach to whatever is on sale, sounds interesting, or we’re challenged to test. Game on gentle readers. That’s not contrapuntal at all.

I digress, let’s roll the tape:

Two flavors were tried, the first being Cannoli (why is it not Holy Cannoli? Looking at you Ben.) from Ben and Jerry’s. This is mascarpone ice cream with pastry shell chunks and some chocolate. Infinitely edible, just not 100% for me. Very strong flavor in the ice cream–would have preferred a lighter touch there. If you’re a cannoli fan, though, give it a try.

This should be called Holy Cannoli because the mascarpone slaps you. (Cannoli Ice Cream from Ben and Jerry’s)

Next up was my personal favorite, German Chocolate Cake Gelato from Talenti. Lighter than ice cream, but deeply flavorful, I do love coconut. Bonus, they didn’t try to make it taste like cake, and it’s full of ingredients a 5 year old can read.

German Chocolate Cake Gelato from Talenti with the delightful screw top. It’s the little things that make me happy.

TPC’s Mom says the Belgian Chocolate from this brand is even better, but I’m yet to find it in the wild. If you are a fan of the Chocolate Coconut Almond from Ben and Jerry’s, or Almond Joys, this is for you. Coconut haters, this will be to you as Nutella is to me.

Beautiful presentation, but beware, those are hazelnuts. (AKA, they taste like rancid.)

That’s it for now. Summer is long, and more taste tests are coming. Let me know if you’ve found the bestest or strangest flavor, I’ll be happy to try it on air. What’s your favorite flavor right now? Post a comment, or send a Tweet my way!

The Practical Cook did not mean to do yet one more Ben & Jerry’s ice cream review so close to the day of desserts. But, Gentle Readers, sometimes the limited edition is a siren song. You see, I have a sore throat and a pumpkin obsession this week, so forgive me. How did things turn out?

So though the Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream was truthfully advertised, I missed the texture and warmth that pumpkin pie provides. This could be partially solved by creating mini-pumpkin cheesecake ice cream sandwiches using gingersnaps or graham crackers. Festive, cute, and kid-friendly, I’ll be testing it on the Juniors.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream in the Wild

The other downside for me, there’s a significant cream cheese aftertaste. I like cream cheese, but I found this to be a bit unsettling. I like bitter at the end of my meal, what can I say?

What are you serving for dessert for Thanksgiving? Post a comment below, or Tweet #thanksgiving in my direction.

Gentle Readers, The Practical Cook does not shy away from controversy. It came calling in the form of the Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream from Ben & Jerry’s. Is it delicious or nasty? Let’s roll the tape:

On balance, I was neither thrilled nor offended. I haven’t opened the carton since, but I haven’t tossed it out either. During a recent taste test of the cornucopia of flavors in my freezer, The Practical Cook’s Mom declared it her favorite. She didn’t think it tasted like Red Velvet Cake, but she liked it. So the dividing line stands.

Red Velvet Ice Cream from Ben and Jerry's

To sum up, Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream looks like Strawberry, and tastes like Cake Batter plus Red. There is not a trace of German Chocolate about it, as I was raised on in the South.

Are you a fan of Red Velvet Cake? Have you tried the ice cream? Post a comment below!

Gentle Readers, it’s hard to even type that when The Practical Cook knows she’s getting ready to use some less than genteel language. But alas, it is my sworn duty to wade into challenging waters, and therefore, I have found and tasted Ben & Jerry’s Schweddy Balls Ice Cream.

In the end, I’m not as much of a rum fan as I am a peanut butter fan. This is good ice cream if you’re into the flavor profile, or looking to completely alienate a stuffy family member. Alternatively, it makes for a great hostess gift during the holidays. If you like malted milk balls, and rum balls, you’ll like this ice cream.

Try serving it over a chocolate stout cake for a holiday balls sensation.

For me, I’ll stick with Clusterfluff or the German Chocolate Cake numbers. Go to Whole Foods if you’d like to perform the taste test, or let us know if you find it elsewhere! Post a comment below with your opinion and any additional locations for purchase for our viewing audience.